Boeing Teams Up with AIESL for Component MRO to Support India's P-8I Fleet
Boeing partnering with AI Engineering Services Limited (AIESL) to invest in local maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) capabilities.
First Indian Navy P-8I landing gear overhauled in-country.
Delhi, August 13, 2024 — Boeing [NYSE: BA] and AIESL have partnered to provide in-country overhaul services of critical components for the Indian Navy’s fleet of 12 Boeing P-8I aircraft. As part of the partnership, the first landing gear overhaul of a P-8I aircraft was recently completed at INS Rajali. This is a first in India and reflects the growth in India’s indigenous capabilities for undertaking complex Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) services.
“Through this partnership with AIESL, we continue to make strategic investments in India’s MRO capabilities that enhance mission readiness rates for the Indian Navy. Developing local MRO capabilities is critical for reducing repair turnaround time and aircraft downtime, thereby improving the mission readiness of customer fleets,” said
Salil Gupte, president, Boeing India and South Asia.
The Boeing P-8I, a multi-role Long Range Maritime Reconnaissance Anti-Submarine Warfare (LRMR ASW) aircraft, is integral to the Indian Navy’s maritime surveillance missions in the Indian Ocean.
Sharad Agarwal, CEO, AI Engineering Services Limited, said "We are proud to partner with Boeing, and for successfully completing the landing gear overhaul of the P-8I aircraft, a first in India. It is a significant step towards India's aspirations to become the regional hub for MRO services."
The Boeing India – AIESL partnership is the latest development under the Boeing India Repair Development and Sustainment (BIRDS) hub program. The BIRDS hub is a local network of suppliers working to build a robust MRO ecosystem for defence and commercial aircraft, which aims to establish industry benchmarks in India for maintenance and repair, platform availability, customer satisfaction, and rapid turnaround time. An important aspect of the hub is training programs to increase skilled manpower by developing sub-tier suppliers and micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) to build top-tier MRO capabilities in India.
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About Boeing in India
Boeing is focused on delivering value to Indian customers with advanced technologies and is committed to creating sustainable value in the Indian aerospace sector – developing local suppliers and shaping academic and research collaborations with Indian institutions. Boeing has strengthened its supply chain with more than 300 local companies in India and a joint venture to manufacture fuselages for Apache helicopters and vertical fin structures for the 737 family of airplanes. Annual sourcing from India stands at over $1 billion. Boeing currently employs over 6,000 people in India, and more than 13,000 people work with its supply chain partners. Boeing’s employee efforts and country-wide engagement serve communities and citizenship programs to inspire change and make an impact on more than 1.5 million direct and indirect beneficiaries. Learn more at www.boeing.co.in.